An Ottawa police officer is facing an assault charge in connection with an attack against an Ottawa taxi driver last month.
Const. Shyldon Safruk, 35, was arrested on Tuesday following a probe by Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, which says it found reasonable grounds to believe the officer is criminally responsible for the altercation at Ottawa's International Airport.
Taxi driver Sami Aldoboni, 43, suffered two broken bones in his left arm and a broken finger in the assault.
"He's doing well, not driving yet but he's doing well," said Yusef Al Mezel, president of the local taxi union.
Aldoboni said the attack happened after a vehicle unsuccessfully tried to pass his taxi on Ottawa's single-lane Airport Parkway on May 11.
After the traffic incident, Aldoboni said the driver followed his cab -- tailgating him for nine kilometres -- to the taxi holding area at the airport where the beating took place. Safruk was off-duty at the time of the incident.
Ottawa's police chief met with taxi drivers shortly after getting the report from the Special Investigations Unit on Tuesday. Vern White told reporters he met with the drivers to uphold his commitment to keep them informed about the progress of the investigation.
"Our relationship has always been strong. It needs to remain strong," White said.
"If we allowed any incident, regardless of what it was, any incident that's isolated like this, to destroy that relationship, it would make this city less safe. They're great eyes and ears for us and it's important for us to have that relationship."
Safruk is currently on administrative duties. He was released following his arrest and is scheduled to appear in court on July 9.
The province's Special Investigations Unit is brought in to investigate whenever police are involved in incidents that result in serious injury or death.
